Aeronautics and Astronautics
From its founding as the first university aeronautics program in the United States, MIT’s Aeronautics and Astronautics Department has been at the forefront of the most exciting developments in air and space technology, such as developing the Apollo guidance and navigation systems in the 1960s and leading today’s efforts to reduce the impact of aviation on the environment.
Through a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach, AeroAstro continues to redefine the future of air and space transportation, exploration, communication, and national security. We have identified eight areas that present challenges and opportunities for aerospace, for the nation, and for the world. The areas and their focuses are:
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Space exploration
Advancing space system design and architecture, software, systems safety, human-machine interaction, and autonomous system operations.
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Autonomous systems
Tackling issues related to autonomous systems, including integration with manned systems, path planning and task allocation, micro and nano air vehicle design, and human supervisory control.
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Environment and energy
Inventing aircraft and engine technologies and operational procedures to improve environmental performance, and exploring and addressing, both scientifically and politically, aviation’s impact on climate change, air quality, human health, noise pollution, and the economy.
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Communications and networks
Improving aerospace communications networks by leading developments in transmission technology resource allocation algorithms, efficient protocols, space-ground network architectures and interfaces, and protocols for inter-networking space and terrestrial networks.
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Computation, design, and simulation
Using computational methods to develop robust simulations capable of analyzing everything from aircraft aerodynamics though the entire flight to the strength and durability of nano-structured metals to the effects of explosions on structures and people.
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Air transportation
Contributing to the safety and efficiency of air transportation by research in diverse areas, including systems design and human factors, weather hazards, queuing approaches to optimize air traffic control systems, and airline revenue management.
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Large-scale complex systems
Developing strategic approaches to fielding large systems so they can easily adapt to shifting user and operator needs, emerging technologies, and changing policies and regulations.
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Engineering education
Focusing on maintaining a learning environment that fosters the ingenuity, leadership, and world-class engineering and research capabilities of our students.
